SECTION 115.4. Placement of Site Specific Subgingival Medicaments

Pursuant to §262.002(a)(6), the placement and removal of site specific subgingival medicaments may be delegated to a Texas licensed dental hygienist under the general supervision of, and in the office of, a Texas licensed dentist, only after scaling and root planing.

(1) The responsibility for diagnosis, treatment planning, the prescription of therapeutic measures, and re-evaluation, shall remain with a Texas licensed dentist and may not be delegated to any dental hygienist or dental assistant.

(2) Site specific subgingival medicaments are considered to be of "topical" nature and are agents approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

(3) The placement of site specific subgingival medicaments may not be assigned to a dental assistant.

(4) The Texas licensed dentist shall be responsible for identifying, selecting, and obtaining training that, in the dentist's reasoned opinion, will bring the dentist and dental hygienist to clinical competency prior to delegating the application of site specific subgingival medicaments to a dental hygienist.

Source Note: The provisions of this §115.4 adopted to be effective October 20, 1997, 22 TexReg 10133; amended to be effective December 24, 2007, 32 TexReg 9629